Spring-fork for cycles and motor-cycles.



S. R. RIDGWAY. SPRING PORK FOR CYCLES AND MOTOR GYCLES.

APPLI OATION FILED NOV. 23,1912. Patented Sept. '1, 1914;

WW 6 a/nuw f a-w Q/WJM/WW v my or at right angles to movement of herein-before abutment for a spring "or S A Sr ENTj OFFI E. J

SAMUEL ROBINSON RiDGWAY, or BIRM N HAM, ENetA n'As-srmvoa 0F one-THIRD 'IO FREDERICK Jorrn 'RIDG AY or STOKE-UPONV-TREIXTI',ENGLAND. V

To 614% whom it'mag camera: Q 'Be'it known that I,

at -Birmingham, in the county of Warwick,

England, have invented. new and useful Im I or Relatingmto Spring-Forks 1' for Cycles and Motor-.Cyclegof which the Fig.1. Fig.4 is a'vie'wsimilar to Fig. 1 of g.- 5 is a secprovements in following is a specification. M

This invention has reference to forks for the steering motorcycles and 'more type in which the; fork ed to the said-headby spring two pairs of parallel links or levers, and in which thelinks-ofthe lower pair are pivoted intermediatelyx to their re'ar'ends being their ends to the fork, jointed to the lowerend of the steerlng head while their opposite free endsare directed forwardly and ifnecessary upwardly andj 20 carry an abutinentfor a spring or springs which may be elther is or are .adapted to'cushion or control the the fork relatively to the said head. j

The primary object of the present invention is to provide a sprmg'fork of the type to. which while being efiicient for its pur poses is characterized by alessnumber 05} referred equally as strong and parts and is consequently of a lighter cheaper construction than hitherto;

The invention consists by the to Said tubular member supported "rotatably" on a pln carried by said forl -a'pair. of'parallel members or a single bifurcated central-member extending rearwardly' from said trans- 7 upper and lower head, the. yoke which being also provided with a pair of parallel members or a central stem extending forwardly and adapted toform or carry an prings arranged between the same and a fixed abutment on the fork. This yoke maytake various shapes but in each case is always in one piece and .ANI) ONE-THIRD ifro sealers-roar; ron oYoLEs A I f f' j speeification of Le tters Ifatent.

.Applieationfiled- November 23, 19 m.

o I may :be formedb SAMUEL ROBINSON 5 111,9; process. 1

RIDGWAY, subject of Grreat'Britain,residing heads of cycles and. .tionalflview of th particularly to that is pi'votally connectarranged parallel with the steering head and in the employment 1 in place of each of the'twopairs 'of' parallel 1 links or levers aforesaicl'of means compris-, ing a single unit whichis rotatably' carried rk and hinged to the steering head. means may conveniently consist of -a' yoke or stirrup comprising ajj transver'se, i Il at to be pivoted byi is pivoted to the lower partof the said head on ball bearings, in the Ni) Moron-crows.

S erialNo. 733,141.

astamping or drop forg- In the accompanying drawings, Figures 1 and 2areys1de tively of a'spring fork constructed accordlng to this invention. Fig. 3 is .a transverse sectional view of the same onthe line a b",

an alternative construction. Fi

e same on the line c d, Fig; "Fig. 6 is'a plan representin'gthe attachment of the upper part of the forkto the headl Figs? and 8 each coinprise plan and side .:-elevational views of alternative constructions of the yoke. Fig. 9 is a plan view of"anothermodification. 5 I

' Throughout the drawings like parts'are designated bysimilar reference characters.

oo IN MOSLEY. BRUNT, Born Patented Sept. 1, 1914. a

and front elevations respec- 3 eferring to-the "drawings, 2 represents the forkwhichisofgirder construction and may "be made in halves, 3 th'e steering head to which .the fork is pivotally attached and t is thespring orsprings whereby relative niovement'between the: said :head and the fork is'cushioned or controlled. (In the construction shown in F1gs.,1,"2

and 3 it 'e ryoke'las applied 'i n.'place: of the lower pair of levers at presentin use com-. prrsesa. transverse tubular-member 5 whlch is adapted to besupported rotatably upon a pin 6 carried. horizontally the fork sides.

Projectingfforwardly from this member is "a centrally arranged stem 7 the free end of is moved aboutthe pivot pin 6 as the result end of the said forward, stem at rightiangles to the free extremity "of this forward stem may eitherabe formed with or carry a "cup 8 to which. isJt-Urned upward so that as the'yoke form anlabutment for oneendofjth'e spring I 4 and in the latter 10 carried; by the'forln The rear part of the yoke, comprises inthis' construction a pair of parallel arms 11 or a bifurcated central stem the free endsof which are pivoted to lugs 12 on the lower end of the steering head or column 3 tobe free to rotate case the cup wouldfor preferencebe hinged tothestem on a horis [z ontal pin e g. shown. The other endrof the 1.00 springabuts against the cup I T f the lower end of the steering which is mounted rotatably on a pin 6 carried horizontally between the upper ends of the fork 2, and a pair of rearwardly directed arms 11 or a bifurcated central stem which in each case form or forms an integral part of the transverse member and have or has their or its free ends jointed to lugs 12 on the top of the steering head 3.

One advantage accruing from this arrangea ment is that'it enables the fork to be made in halves.

Where as in-Figs. 1 and 5 the spring 4: is arranged with its axis parallel or approximately-parallel with the steering forwardly directed stem 7 .of the yokewould project at right angles to the said head and carry a pivoted cup 8 forming: the lower abutment for the spring. the abutment 10.for the upper end of the spring is carried between the stays 14 which form part of the fork.

As already st. ted the yoke may take various forms, for example asshown'in Fig. 9, the transverse tubular member 5 may have projecting fromeach side of it a centrally arranged stem 7 15 having bifurcated free ends. The bifurcated stem 15"at the rearward side isadapted of its limbs orarms 16 to the lugs 12 on head while the bifurcated ends 17 of the forwardly directed stem are adapted to carry a' cup 8 or its equivalent for the reception of one end of the spring or springs. i

In the alternative arrangements shown .in

Figs. 7 and 8 the rearwardly and forwardly directed stems may be replaced by apair of parallel armsll, 18 pro ecting rearwardly' and forwardly from and integral 'with the; Any desired combi-j nation -of' these two arrangements may also; be employed as circumstances permit.v Fig. 8" represents similarconstructions to those transverse member 5.

in Fig. 7 as applied where thespring & is arranged-with its axis parallel or approximatelyiwith the steering'head; Any desired combination of these 'be likewise employed.

parts constituting head the In thisconstruction to be pivoted by each members, a single ecting rearwardly two constructions may 1 From the foregoing it will be seen that by reason of the reduction in the number of the complete'fork the latter may be made more suitable than hitherto for motorcycles of the light weight class without impairing its strength and antivibratory properties.

l Vhat I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States isl 1. A spring fork for motorcycles and the like comprising in combination, a steering head, a pair of fork members flexibly connected with the. upper part of said head, means consisting of a single unit pivotally mounted between said fork members and hinged to the lower part of said steering head, a fixed abutment on the fork members,

. and a spring or sprmgs arranged between said abutment and said unit substantially as set forth.

2. A sorin fork for motorcycles and the like comprising in combination a steering head, a pair of fork members flexibly connected at their upper ends to the'upper part of said head, a yoke pivotally mounted beend hinged to the lower part of the said head, a'fixedabutment on the fork members, and a spring or springs arranged between said abutment and the other end of the said yoke substantially as set forth.

A spring fork for motor-cycles and the like comprising in combination a steering head, a pair of fork -members flexibly connected at the upper ends with said head, a yoke comprising a transverse tubular member supported by and between said fork bifurcated member protherefrom and hinged to said head and a single bifurcated member'projecting forwardly from said tubular membe'n'a fixed abutment carried by said fork members and a spring or springs arranged'between said abutment and said forwardly projecting bifurcated member; and

wardly bifurcated member of the yoke, stantially as herein set forth. In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses. 1 I SAMUEL ROBINSON RIDGWAY.

sub-

. Witnesses:

J OHN HERBERT FARRINGTON, ETHEL M. WEBB.

Qopies of this patent may be obtainedfor fiv: cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Iatents,

w' r P--" I 1 tween said fork members and having one adapted to becompressed by the said forw 

